saint michael

Ralph makes out that this season’s performance has been a single event of poor performance, because where we have finished, and that this season was saved by them taking the decision to change in time to save our PL status. So from a business perspective you could say he is correct. However, I haven’t heard anything that really demonstrates that they will change things enough to stop the underlying trend of decline that the on pitch performances show. He says going for more wins than draws is a learning....no **** Sherlock. I believe that his complacency comes from confusing business performance numbers as lagging indicators with current reality indicators of what we have to watch on the pitch... Same group making future decisions....worrying

He talked a lot about learning but not much about change. Let’s wait and see what does change...I believe not much will change.

The handball goal for Watford hardly got a mention. If that had been a top side you wouldn’t have head the end of it. Refs frightened to get it wrong for the big clubs so will keep giving... another feature of the prem I’m afraid

We are truly an unfit side. The gap between attack and defence and the inability to closedown and keep it going this year for the whole game is shocking. We have players receiving the ball and no players moving or within 30yards of them, which is why the ball goes sideways and back again. Look at how many touches each player has to take in order to keep hold of the ball and hold up play until there is an option. The alternative is solo runs, or the big lump forward. This bit isn’t going to change for the next 4 games so we better hope that we get lucky and some of the shots we take happen to go in. Think our defence is going to rely on poor opposition attacking

I agree I was sat at the back o& 126 too and there were half a dozen people around us stood up facing the back encouraging their mates to slap the roof panels. Live and let live, but think about other people around you. My first game was back in the 60’s and I guess I have mellowed a little. I like people singing and showing passion. I thought the saints fans worked hard to get the team going yesterday... certainly worked harder than some of the players and kept going until the moment where the outcome was inevitable

That’s really shocking and criminal mismanagement spending that much on this group. Can think of two or three proven premier players that would have made a difference for less than that

He’s clearly an ok manager and can do a job for us. The only question for me is why did he lose the players at Stoke. In the end not even being able to rally them against Coventry. He’s likely to be coming into a dressing room similar to the one he left which is low on confidence, the only difference I can see is he’s new to the team and their new to his messages so this might be the boost we need

So you think this happens overnight then? They have made decisions which in the long term has led us to where we are now even if in the short term it is masked. Culture has been slowly eroded

When was the poll taken? Clearly 42% of the people on here thought he was doing a good job not so long ago... This slide started in 2015 when we started really breaking the side up and selling and replacing the team and management too frequently for our own good. Not always with worse but different. Anybody who forms teams will tell you how difficult it is and how it takes time and that you have to have a blend of the right people. Skills and competency to do their roles well also forms a big part. I don’t believe we have done this well and now it’s biting our arse. We have now gone so far we have lost the culture of the club that the success was built on. It’s a long way back to restore it I’m afraid. We do almost need a clear out and reform around our beliefs. THIS is what the Board are failing to address

Interesting article thanks for posting. Probably the first time he has let his guard down a little to show his philosophy. He clearly thinks it’s about possession and quotes data which helps him look like he is making progress, another being the playing in their half as you say. He seems to have forgotten about what football is about and that his job is ALL about results. He speaks about Burnley as a negative because of their style of play and they just happen to be efficient in converting chances. He clearly believes in style over content...sadly we have neither. There is no recognition that when teams set up a defensively Saints have prepared and know what they have to do to break this down. What are your tactics MP not your structure

Strange isn’t it. People near me in Itchen almost look embarrassed to sing OWTS. Must be lack of history and attachment to club or just not cool. No chance of getting some passion to stand up and shout out the poor performance of the board. Or maybe people just feel we should just be grateful to be around these days .... constant reminders of remember where we’ve been..

Don’t think Fitz is blaming fans think he is saying team been **** all year. Somebody mentions a continuous and gentle slide into trouble rather than a sudden shock that might have United the fans in a protest. For me I have written to the Board. As a business man telling them that the contempt that they hold the 30k + fans in is unforgivable. Telling them that in no other business would they get away with such poor performance of their company. Simply put they are well out of their depth and are relying on hope and luck that they get away with this. Any decision to rectify the situation brings implications of their own performance which is unacceptable to them. Their is also this complete ignorance and arrogance that following their model is unshakeable. IF we do get out of this it will further build and strengthen their arrogance so don’t expect them to change direction. If they got rid of MP it would be another hire of that ilk. I did get answers and you probably can imagine what they said

Does anybody know what the parachute payments are and over what period of time, just wondering what we have to do if the worst happens and when the shi* would really hit the fan if we do go down and we don’t bounce back

So the club makes cabinet decisions. Consensus of like minded paople where people collude not to challenge each other in case it rebounds back. Also difficult to identify where the buck stops which is what he was implying when he says we all share the responsibility..... the role of chairman is far from being a ceremonial role and has corporate responsibility and accountability. if I was mr GAO I would be asking what he is doing with my investment in his role. I bet he doesn’t see it as a joke role. The only person I see that can break this cycle is Mr GAO.

Anyone care to revisit their vote now....shocking. I know no other business where this level of performance would continue to be supported. The only reason I can see is self preservation by the board

We seem to have got to the point where the unconventional approach and business model to running a football club is greater than common sense. I believe we have done a lot of good things over the last few years but have also got a lot of things wrong and as a result missed our opportunities when they have arisen. To move from a smaller club to bigger club as was desired takes risk and when we had the opportunity to do so and make a statement to players and good management, we decided not to and from that point our business model changed to becoming a development club with potential upgrading on the back of it, this probably happened without realising the consequences that no activity would deliver this change. This change fails when either players are not as good as were thought to be when bought, or management fails to deliver, which is what has happened with a combination of both. Now we are in a pickle because to get out of this we need to have a drastic short term fix of “conventional”, buying mature proven players to fix a short term problem. This is where I’m not sure and don’t know if Reed is big enough to change to do this and in doing so admit mistakes ....or simply continue to go down the same pattern we are in and then Lady Luck will play her part...

I feel sorry for the guy. He always seemed to be a 100% guy but as has been said earlier you get found out in this league pretty quickly if you are short of the required skill

I think that Klassen at Everton is finding out how different this league is too

I sit in the itchen at st mary's and arrive a bit later so haven't seen the warm up for sometime. To start with I thought they were taking the pi**. This should be the final piece of weekly practice but some of them could hardly kick the ball with any conviction. Shocking....

Did anybody watch the shooting practice yesterday before the game? It was like the keystone cops... Observations rather than opinion:- . Played against a side willing to press who tired in the second half giving us a little more space . We have ability still to control ball in tight situations and make space . We look for certainty rather than risk . Final ball gets us into wing positions with nobody in centre . Playing more as individuals now than team players holding ball and waiting for movement rather than anticipating . Great running forward and we play him as a target man . Too light weight getting pushed easily . Body language shows team are clearly unhappy with something . Can't really see change happening from last year tactics . Defenders not attacking first ball and letting ball over head and retrieving . Forster not able to read game and cut things out remember the Niemi and how he stopped things building, also not brave in way he comes out Etc etc Something has to give for things to change....

I understand what you are saying but I'm not sure anybody ever makes a clear offer anymore. It seems to me that the rumours and behind the scenes chat always start the selling process. It still hasn't stopped his poor shoddy cheap behaviour. I think I would reverse this and go out and say he is for sale at X millions now put up or shut up and say to his agent. If your good go out and get it or get your player playing I'm not always behind Les but what more can he do than tie a player down on a long term contract and tell clubs he is not for sale

I really rate VVD but let's sell him and anybody else that think they want to go. Would we really want somebody who is striking to get away to only stay with saints because he can't force the move through? It is clear football isn't what it was when I started watching years ago and players arent ever going to be loyal like they once were. It frustrates the f out of me this type of me me me behaviour but we are not going to change it. The one thing I ask is that we really do look at bringing in some proven prem experience to blend into a developing squad. I see that the lack of prem experience as the biggest risk

I really do admire the optimistic views you put forward. People need time and chance to show what they can do so am not one for sacking quickly ...... however all the signs are there that the underlying performance of the team is not good. You can maintain things for a while before it really bites you and when you realise that it is then its too late. I believe we are on this journey and need to turn things quickly. He seems totally incapable of motivating and changing things.... therefore time to go Claude

I'm glad we are not in a relegation fight. I don't see a team who can fight with their backs to the wall too many light weights and a manager that doesn't motivate and organise. When you see him on the line he looks frustrated and angry. I'm not sure what they are not doing that he expects because I see don't see any development. They clearly are not going to get rid so I don't think things are going to get better soon. You just can feel the progress that we have made starting to slide

I think we are in a situation now where no one is playing to their ability and so signings are not going to get out out of this. This is the moment where management and leadership are key to turnaround our form. So for me the question is do we think RK has the ability to get this group and shake them out of this dip and regroup to start working together? When you see them confidence is clearly low and the slightest thing that goes against us seems to be magnified and they just seem to crumble. I'm not sure on Ron. I really like him as a bloke and the fact he is open and straight. Has he got the ability to get us going...well I guess we will find out. The thing that worries me most is that when things are going wrong on the pitch he rarely is on the line changing and talking to players to make the outcome different. Here's hoping, but wouldn't put faith that anybody coming in is going to turnaround the team confidence